For the professional beauty, hair and day spa salon owner.

Ever wondered why it is that some people can sell ice to the Eskimos, and other can’t? Sales professionals – that is all salon staff – should know which words and phrases to use and which ones not to.

Sales professionals also know that it is also what you DON’T say that can destroy any sale. My point was highlighted by an event yesterday, where we were on the “customer” side of the sales process.

Is your Sales Prevention Department causing you to scream?Call Us Now On 618 9443 9327

Our salon was looking to invest in some new technology so that we could be the first in WA to implement it into our salon ( and of course upgrades on other services). The “education” course was pay up front ( as all major purchases should be in your salon as well!) before you get there. Not a problem so far as the sales person on the phone was very good at making sure the whole process went smoothly and we were guided through their sales process ( if you do not have a sales process yet – GET ONE! ) with out any incidents.

And then the sales process went? DOWNHILL. And fast.

The address for the training that was given was incorrect to begin with. I am pretty sure that a trucking company will not be doing this tye of training. Not a huge problem as we had plenty of time to spare, and quickly found our way to the right location. Then the “sales prevention” department kicked in. The “salon” itself was in the front room of someone’s house. Not an issue as we started our business the same way, but the house was in the middle of the renovation! It was a building site with a “salon”at the front…

We walked in the front door and the stench of stale cigarette smoke attacked our senses straight away. The “salon” bed was a table that had to be cleaned down so that we could use it, and the toilet was a place that words truly cannot describe. ( As a side note: I have seen better toilets in Bolivia where they have NO plumbing to speak off.)

The “rep” looked as though it was all to much, walking around the salon with socks and pants, hair left as if it had not been done in the last week. And when she breathed on you, it was enough to strip paint off the walls. (Ever had the feeling of your own skin crawling?)

I wish that this was “creative writing” but it is not. It is the NON VERBAL CUES that ended the process. Just like that.

Then came the phone call to the office to find out what the idea was about having them do demonstrations in the front room of a house? They did not know that it was a home salon. ( Their shock was evident on the phone.) Never in my life have I seen such a great example of non verbal cues terminating a sales process.

When you have clients coming into your salon you need to make sure that you have everything right to go. That the salon is clean and tidy and that you are able to help the client solve their problems.

This is all part of your “sales system” that should be organized, and functioning, in every salon. The biggest part of your sales system is the marketing that you do for the business. Using the right tools that are in the Essential Salon Owners Toolkit,to get the clients into the salon, is as important as making sure that the staff are not preventing sales from happening.

It made me take notice of how we should not be doing things in our salon.